Through her lens, viewers are invited into the intimate world of Indian classical music. The archive captures more than just the maestro; it documents legendary bus tours alongside icons like Shiv Kumar Sharma and Girija Devi, as well as tender family moments involving Zakir Hussain’s daughter, Anisa. This body of work illustrates how Dayanita learned the concept of riyaaz (disciplined practice) from Zakir Hussain. When she once considered learning the flute, he famously challenged her to give photography "eighteen hours a day" or not waste the teacher's time. She chose to give photography her everything, learning to translate musical rhythm, pause, and improvisation into visual structures.

The scheduling of the exhibition holds deep cultural resonance, spanning the dates from Zakir Hussain’s first barsi (death anniversary) on December 13th to that of his father, the legendary Ustad Alla Rakha (Abbaji), in February. It marks a return to the NCPA, where the community previously gathered for Abbaji’s centenary celebrations.

Dayanita Singh, the first South Asian to win the prestigious Hasselblad Award in 2022, credits Zakir Hussain with her artistic discipline. When she once considered learning the flute, his intervention was decisive: “Will you be able to give it 18 hours a day? You’ve chosen photography—give that your everything.” This exhibition is the ultimate testament to that "everything."

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